When people think of the chakras they think of meditation, spirituality, and Eastern religion. But the chakra system, as we’ll see here, is also central to health, wellness, and living well.
This blog assumes the reader is familiar with the chakras, but I offer a quick refresher here. For more on what are the chakras, or how to work with and balance them, see my mind-body-spirit blog and search for chakra.
Of course, the influence and benefits of chakras on a person’s mind, body, and spirit are essentially countless. The examples given below are not exhaustive but rather illustrative.
Chakra Basics
The word chakra means wheel in Sanskrit. The wheel illustrates the central notion that subtle life-force energy is within and surrounding the body. It spins within specific energy centers along the spine and circulates through channels such as meridians and nadis. These channels are fundamental to acupuncture and acupressure alternative or complementary therapies.
While absent from Western medicine and unfamiliar to many people in the Western Hemisphere, chakras in somewhat different forms and systems occupy a central position in Eastern spiritual and medical traditions. Vedic, Hindu, Buddhist, Yogic, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) approaches all embrace the concept in one form or another.
In conjunction with other energy types of the human body like heat, electricity, and chemical reactions, this subtle energy propels and orients all body systems (e.g., immune and nervous) and contributes to health, wellness, and living well.
Scientists have been unable to measure subtle energy using their standard methods of measurement and validation. Yet many people and practitioners of traditional medicine and spiritual practice rely on subtle energy as a key driver and determinant of healing, wellness, personal and spiritual growth, and living well in general. They can personally perceive it as well as observe and measure outcomes.
This note does not intend to discredit the importance of modern science. The point is it’s time to acknowledge and embrace critical elements and avenues of healing that Eastern traditions offer. This is especially relevant to self-care, preventive care, and healing the whole person – their mind, body, and spirit.
Energy Centers of the Chakra System
Perspectives on the number of energy centers within the chakra system vary considerably from four to over a hundred. Seven major chakras represent the most common viewpoint in the US. However, as an energy healer and spiritual life coach, I like to work with nine energy centers. The names of seven primary chakras in English and Sanskrit are:
Primary Chakras
- Crown (Sahasrara)
- Third Eye (Ajna)
- Throat (Vishuddha)
- Heart (Anahata)
- Solar Plexus (Manipura)
- Sacral (Svadhisthana)
- Root (Muladhara)
The adjoining illustration depicts these seven primary chakras. The set runs from the lavender Crown center just above the top of the head to the red Root Chakra at the bottom of the spine. These colors correspond to the energy wave frequency of a particular chakra.
The chakras govern physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and energetic aspects of human existence. Each chakra maps to specific structures, organs, and glands as well as types of thoughts, beliefs, emotions, and aspirations. My blog posts on Worthiness and the Sacral Chakra and the Third-Eye and Self-Trust provide examples of this.
Two Important Additional Chakras
The Soul Star (Vyapini), not depicted, is above the Crown about an arm’s length from the top of the head. The Earth Star (Vasundhara), also not shown, is below the service of the Earth. The Soul Star and Earth Star chakras complete the set of nine chakras I typically work with.
The Vyapini is the gateway between duality and universality. This center contains information on a person’s life’s mission and soul’s purpose. It’s the seed of the seven primary chakras.
The Vasundhara energy relates to the Earth, nature, and its elements. Energetically it connects a person to and empowers them with the forces of broader contexts such as humanity, nature, the cosmos, and cosmic consciousness. In a sense, the Vasundhara is a portal to wholeness and universality.
A Dynamic Integrated System For Holistic Healing and Living Well
Chakras function as a system. However, many people focus on one chakra at a time. They might select the Solar Plexus if their problem involves the digestive system, the Sacral Chakra for sexual issues, or the Root for structure (e.g., bones and ligaments). Singling in on one chakra’s dysfunction is easier than untangling the interactions of more than one energy center.
Unfortunately, singularity or simplification can result in substantially limited healing outcomes. Complete and sustainable energy realignment and healing require the inclusion of all relevant and impactful interactions. Furthermore, the treatment must address the role of the entire body, its various systems, and their components as well.
Working with subtle energy can help. It expresses and addresses the whole person and their complete mind-body-spirit experience. Thus, it can work on anything at any level.
It’s possible to integrate the energy flow between and among chakras just as it’s possible through intention and breathing to guide life force between and among various organs, body systems, etc. For example, long slow breaths to and from the heart can entrain the electromagnetic fields of various organs to that of the heart, building coherence across bodily systems, and promoting relaxation, rebalance, and wellness.
Three Key Benefits to Including the Chakra System In the Healing Process
Given that healing and spirituality are lenses through which people typically explore the chakra system, we’ll start by describing its role in energy rebalancing and healing. Then we’ll turn to its role in living well more generally.
Chakra system information such as attributes and symptoms of balance and imbalance track well with conventional and less conventional medicine. The key benefit of including the chakra system is threefold:
Benefits of Integrating Chakras Into the Healing Process
- Inclusion of energy-related aspects of health and wellness within the assessment and healing process;
- A holistic understanding of the current issues and potential healing paths; and
- A mechanism to help the client draw out a more comprehensive and integrated story concerning the origin, interconnectedness, and potential resolution of their issues.
The Importance of Client Engagement In Their Healing Process
Many energy practitioners (e.g., Reiki healers) offer excellent assistance during the session; however, some either overlook or are unaware of the importance of their client’s awareness and understanding of their healing process. Moreover, they fail to appreciate how jointly engaging the conscious and subconscious minds deepens, empowers, accelerates, and enhances overall healing.
Essentially all healing is ultimately self-healing and a dynamic ongoing process. Therefore, the client’s role is critical. Giving clients knowledge and tools will empower them and promote greater well-being. When practitioners refer to the chakra system framework and descriptive content it strengthens their client’s self-reliance and capacity to heal.
In addition, working with the chakras can enhance the practitioner’s perception of what is going on with their client and their ability to facilitate that healing.
Using the Chakras For Living Well
It goes without saying, rebalancing and realignment that leads to healing also leads to greater well-being. Still, there are more ways that the chakra system contributes to living well.
Dealing With Negative Thoughts and Beliefs
Thoughts and certain ways of thinking can negatively impact a person’s mental and physical health. For example, they can raise blood pressure, and cause or worsen depression. Limiting beliefs can also adversely affect someone’s self-image and relationships, and limit their access to assistance, opportunities, and happiness.
Chakra therapy can help pinpoint the source(s) of these toxic thoughts and beliefs, clear the underlying energetic imbalances, and encourage healing. The web of energetic dysfunctional interconnections among the chakras, body systems, and energy field can reveal the deeper more complete story behind a problem or dysfunction. This greater understanding can better inform the practitioner and client of the best healing path.
The chakras most closely involved in thought formation are the Sacral, Solar Plexus, Heart, Third-Eye, and Crown. Each center governs specific aspects of a person’s life. For example, the Sacral Chakra determines self-worth and belonging. The Crown, on the other hand, influences personal values and inspiration, purpose, and faith. The Solar Plexus is the seat of the will and governs self-esteem and personal power.
Dealing With Uncomfortable and Entangled Emotions
A dysfunctional or imbalanced chakra manifests in uncomfortable emotions. For instance, a weak or blocked Heart Chakra can instill mistrust, fear of intimacy, hopelessness, and grief. In contrast, an overactive Heart Center can manifest as neediness, jealousy, possessiveness, and co-dependence. Whether over- or under-active, the imbalance can ultimately impinge upon a person’s well-being and quality of life.
Root Chakra Imbalance – Focus, Fear, and Fragmentation
Groundedness is arguably the most well-known characteristic of a balanced Root Chakra. This grounded balance yields focus, clarity, confidence, and stability. A solid anchored Root provides a good foundation for the potential development of the other six chakras.
However, a weak Root manifests in fear, anxiety, insecurity related to basic needs, overwhelm, distraction, and a fragmented sense of self. This fragmentation occurs on any level – physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and energetic.
Root chakra dysfunction often intensifies swings in other chakras such as super-charging the jealousy, possessiveness, or neediness of the Heart Charka. It also interacts with the Solar Plexus and contributes to a lack of self-esteem and personal power. Finally, distraction, vacillation, and insecurity significantly muddy the process of the Crown in defining a purpose or personal mission. In these ways, the Root dysfunction interferes with living well.
Fortunately, chakra balancing is relatively simple. However, because the chakra system is dynamic and highly interactive working with the chakras needs to be a regular and ongoing practice.
Energy Healing as a Self-Care Practice
As a Master energy healer, I have numerous clients who request sessions as part of their regular self-care such as stress relief, increased energy and focus, improved sleep, and greater clarity. A single healing session can bring about significant benefits and perceptible change. Chakra balancing is integral to all my healing sessions.
Using the Chakra Subtle Energy For Self Care, Self-Healing, and Living Well
Anyone can sense their subtle life-force energy. It may be hard to perceive at first for those who doubt its existence or their ability to detect it. After all, it’s subtle – extremely subtle. However, anyone can do it if they apply their attention, discernment, and patience.
A key to perceiving life force is to accept unconditionally whatever you sense. This is because, if you question the sensations or look for alternative explanations for the experience, you’ll lose it.
However, if you accept what you sense, your ability to tune into subtleties will improve and become more automatic. The soft liminal sensations ultimately will become louder, clearer, and second nature.
Because what you’re experiencing is your life force, you can personally shift it. You can encourage energy flow, release of energy blocks, and rebalance.
Self-healing is real. This doesn’t imply that people don’t benefit from or need assistance from others, loved ones, practitioners, and the medical system at least from time to time. And, in some cases, self-healing may only offer palliative care. But in all cases, it’s the gift of being human, an invaluable resource, and accessible whenever and wherever you are.
For More Information On the Chakras, Self-Healing, and Living Well, See:
- Starchaser’s Mind Body Spirit Blog
- Spiritual Life Coaching Sessions
- Starchaser’s Natural Healing and Wellness Workshops
